Much Ado About Everything
by DeadMan'sChest
Summary: This is my James/Lily story based on Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing. There's no Shakespearean accents or any 'doth thou' or 'art ye' or anything like that. It's in regular English with my take on each of J.K. Rowling's characters. I hope you like it!
1. Chapter 1

Frank Longbottom is a Gryffindor 7th year. The other boys in his dormitory- the Weasley twins and Caradoc Dearborn- are always very 'busy' and do not

have a lot of time to be friends with Frank. The twins, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, never stop causing mischief and making all sorts of useless spells and

pranks. Caradoc is always spending time with his 'girlfriend' - he gets a new one every week. So oftentimes, Frank would head down to the 6th year boys

dormitory for company. Late in his 7th year, when he came down, only James Potter and Sirius Black were there.

"Look who it is!" cried James as Frank entered. "It's Frank Longbottom himself!"

"We were just talking about you, mate," said Sirius while gesturing to the end of his bed where Frank could sit down.

"And what were you saying?" asked Frank good naturedly as he sat

James and Sirius exchanged glances.

" We were only saying . . ." began Sirius tentatively, "that you have seemed different since you came back from Easter holiday."

" I wonder why that is,"he replied, knowing exactly why that was.

"You almost seem . . . more mature or something," said James. He looked at Frank with narrowed eyes. "We know you know, mate. You can tell us

anything. We'll keep our lips sealed."

Frank looked long and hard at both boys before giving in.

"Oh all right!" he cried throwing up his hands in surrender. "I fancy a girl," he says with flaming cheeks.

Sirius gives a knowing chuckle. James makes a face.

"Who is it?" asked Sirius.

"Alice Lachlan," Frank said and gave a dreamy smile.

James pulled another face and gave an almighty groan. "When will I ever see a guy over 16 who is _ not_ fancying a girl!? Nearly everyone is 'in love' with one person or another. I

can't even name _one guy_ who does not fancy some girl who's just going to leave him when a better looking one walks in."

"I don't fancy a girl," Sirius protested.

"You don't count," James replied quickly.

Sirius only frowned.

James continued. "Why can't we all just . . . I dunno . . .be single until we graduate."

"I'm almost done with 7th year, James," Frank reminded him.

James was silent.

"But have you even seen her!?" Frank demanded of them.

Sirius nodded, looking somewhat bored of the subject.

James muttered, "Yeah probably at least once this year."

"Tell me truthfully. What do you think of her?" asked Frank.

"Do you want my opinion as a friend or my brutally honest opinion?" asked James.

"I want you to be brutally honest."

"Well," said James, considering, "She's too short; too round; her hair is to light; she's too mellow; altogether, I'm not a fan of her."

Frank was in shock. "How could anyone not love her?! Just look at her! She's so sweet and rosy. Her eyes are gorgeous. Have you ever noticed that when

she blushes, her cheeks go bright and her eyes sparkle."

James was horrified. "Her eyes sparkle . . . " he mouthed.

"And when she smiles, she could light up the dark side of the moon. I'll bet that she could walk through Hogwarts at night if she wanted to. Her laugh is amazing also. Whenever I

hear it, I just have to smile, it is _that_ infectious. I really hope she likes me back. I've been trying to act a little more mature so maybe she'd notice me or something but . .

. I don't think it's quite working. Sometimes I do think she likes me though. She smiled at me once in Potions. Then again she smiles at everyone. If she doesn't fancy me, I swear

I'll go mental. "

"Are you done yet?" asked Sirius with some concern.

Frank nodded, his eyes locked on nothing in particular.

"Well I am going to remain single until die," James pronounced. "Girls warp guys' minds and make them see things that aren't there. Their 'love' is nothing

more than snogging in a cupboard. Real love is like, caring so much for someone you don't care if you ever get to snog them or even if they love you back. It's just wanting them to

be happy. Snogging is all this 'love' is anyways. I don't see the point of snogging. Therefore, I will die a single man. And if I ever do become so mad as to . . . fall . . . in . . . love. "

James winced every word. "I hereby give you permission to beat me until I die. Then, I ask you to put on my gravestone _ Here lies James Potter who died from a girlfriend."_

"Whatever happened to Lily Evans?" asked Frank suspiciously.

"What about her?" asked James delicately.

"Didn't you ask her out a couple of times?" asked Frank.

"Yes," said James hurriedly, "But only to get back at Snape."

"When," said Sirius smugly, "and not if, but when you get a girlfriend. I will use this speech against you."

"As I said," James said," I will remain-"

"-single until the day I die," finished Frank and Sirius in unison.


	2. Chapter 2

At the end of every school year, Professor Slughorn hosts a party

and invites all of his favorite students to attend. They could bring

partners or come alone if they so chose. There is music, dancing, and –

in typical Slughorn fashion – good food.

Lily Evans was invited to the party because of her standing as a

favorite of Slughorn's for her unusual skill in potion-making. She is

currently in her dormitory fighting the eternal battle of all girls – trying

to find something to wear.

Just as she felt something silky at the bottom of her trunk, she

heard the dormitory door open and heard her friends Alice Lachlan and

Marlene McKinnon come in, chatting about Alice's future possibilities at

dating Frank Longbottom . Both girls had been invited to Slughorn's

party. Marlene's great uncle's second wife's ex-brother-in-law just so

happened to be the Minister for Magic. As for Alice, Frank Longbottom,

who was invited for his talent as a wizard, had finally plucked up the

courage to ask her to the party as a friend.

Lily wrapped her fingers around the silky material and pulled it

out, upsetting all of her other junk in the process. The silky object only

turned out to be a headscarf her mother had given her for Easter.

Frowning at the scarf, she sighed.

"Lily," called Alice, "do you think Frank likes me for real, or am I

blinded by my own feelings for him?"

Lily dropped her scarf into her disheveled trunk and smiled at her

friend. "I'm glad you're open to the whole 'blinded by your own feelings'

thing when you ask me for advice. Some people aren't," she looked

pointedly at Marlene, "and it makes it very difficult to reason with

them."

"Anyway, back to your question. Yes, Frank likes you or I'm a

hippogriff. I sat behind him in Charms on Tuesday and every few

minutes he'd glance over to where you were sitting and smile. And you

should have seen the way he was looking at you in Potions. It was

almost like he was fighting the urge to run up and kiss you or

something."

Alice positively beamed. Lily resumed rummaging through her

trunk when Alice began to look curiously at her.

"Lily," she asked, "do you ever think you'll get a boyfriend?"

Lily laughed. "What do I need a boyfriend for? I've got you guys. I

don't need any other friends," she said as she decided on a long mint-

green dress she liked.

"If Lily ever even fancied a guy," Marlene stated, "I think the world

would implode on itself."

"I think my own spontaneous combustion is more probable, don't

you think?" ask Lily as she began to undress.

Alice zipped up her own dress as she said, "Not all guys are that

bad. Just look at Frank."

"Alice dear," said Lily as she pulled on her dress, "I see Frank

almost every day but I never can see what you see in _him_ or any other

guy."

"I don't think you've ever even looked for a boyfriend," Marlene

said to Lily as she combed her long black hair.

"You're right Marlene," said Lily " - oh, can you zip me up Alice? –

I've never even tried to find a guy. Your heart has to be in it if you

actually _want to find one – _which is the beginning. And I'm sorry, but I

just don't see the point of a boyfriend."

"Just promise me this," begged Alice as she zipped Lily's dress for

her, "starting tonight, at least be on the lookout for anyone you might

consider. Please Lily, do it for me."

Lily smiled, "I'll do my best." That was all Alice could ever

hope for.


	3. Chapter 3

James and Sirius had not received invitations to Slughorn's party because of a cheeky remark they made to him in second year. They didn't particularly want to go but they rebelliously decided to show up anyway for reasons that will be explained in due course. They magically changed their appearance beyond recognition and magically altered their voices. Although he wouldn't admit it, even to himself, James was secretly hoping he'd be able to see Lily and maybe even talk to her. And as fate would have it, James would have his wish not long after the party had begun.

He was in front of the drink stand when he accidentally bumped into a red-headed girl who was carrying too many drinks for her own two hands. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" he said, steadying her, "My bad, I – " he stopped dead. He had looked into her face. It was Lily. " . . . was over-balanced," he murmured weakly.

She was the single most beautiful girl James had ever seen. Her deep red hair was down, but clipped to the side by a small gold pin. A small golden locket hung at her throat and was engraved with a small 'L' and a few lily flowers. Her dress was sleeveless and fitted throughout her torso, but at the waist, it flowed delicately into many folds and reached down to her ankles. It was a lovely deep green which matched her eyes beautifully. On her feet were golden, closed-toed slippers.

"Don't worry," she said smiling, "the fault is equally mine. Are you alright?" she asked looking with concern at his dazed and shocked face.

"I'm fine," he lied.

"Okay," she said unconvinced, and walked over to her friends.

James (in his disguise) stared longingly at her as she weaved her way to her friends. Never in his life had Lily looked at him with concern as she had during their brief conversation just then. Also, he couldn't remember a time when she smiled at him in such a way. All of his joy turned sour when he remembered that he was in disguise and that she wasn't smiling at him but at Lionel Lacewot, the character he'd made up if anyone asked who he was.

He poured himself a drink, turned around, and once again, found himself face-to-face with Lily Evans. Lily only smiled and poured herself a drink. As the made to go back to her other friends, James put his hand on her shoulder.

"Wait a minute." She turned to him. "What's your name?" he asked, pretending not to recognize her.

"I'm Gina Collins," she said, making up a random name on the spot for some reason she couldn't explain. She extended her hand in greeting.

James wondered for a moment at why Lily would change her name like that but dismissed the thought. 'Like I'm one to talk,' he thought to himself.

James shook her hand eagerly, "I'm Lionel Lacewot," he lied smoothly.

"It's nice to meet you, Lionel," said Lily. "What house are you from? Forgive me, but I've never even heard of you."

"I'm in Ravenclaw," he said, "I like to kind of stay in the shadows so to speak."

Lily nodded. "I know what you mean. I seem to go unnoticed by many people also. Even some of my friends forget I'm there sometimes."

James nodded. He had not known this about Lily and to be honest, he was surprised. He thought that she was as irresistible to everyone else as she was to him.

"Did you come alone?" Lily asked him after a brief moment of silence.

"Yes," James said, "and you?"

"I came alone."

A sudden thought struck James. He glanced over at the small dance floor in the corner of the room then nervously at Lily who was sipping her punch.

"Gina," he said with a sudden confidence that surprised even himself, "would you like to dance with me?"

Lily looked at him with surprise. "Oh – er – sure! I'd – um – I'd love to."

They set their drinks down and James took Lily's hand and let her onto the dance floor. His heart was beating so fast that he was afraid he'd fall over. Seriously, what was wrong with him? He hadn't been even this nervous when he'd been sent to Professor Dumbledore's office for accidentally knocking Professor McGonagall unconscious in first year.

They stood, uncertainly, facing each other, neither one having ever danced with a partner before. Lily timidly placed her hand on James's shoulder while James gently set his hand at her side. They clasped each other's hands with a delicate gentleness. "So when you say you came alone, does that mean you are not dating anyone?" James asked tactfully as they joined the other couples in the swirling throng of dancers.

"That's right," Lily replied. She had almost added, "And I mean to stay that way," but remembering what Alice had said, refrained.

"Have you ever dated anyone?" he asked.

"I have not," Lily replied sheepishly, "but for a while, James Potter fancied me a bit and asked me out quite often . . . That doesn't mean that we ever got together, of course," she added hastily, afraid she had made her words unclear.

"Of course it doesn't," he said distractedly, "I am only curious. What made you turn him down?"

Lily looked up at who she believed to be Lionel Lacewot in surprise and a small amount of alarm. _She_ was curious as to why _he_ was curious about her past 'love life.' Normally, prospective boyfriends didn't do that. Or did they? She wouldn't know.

"Well," Lily began, "he was always showing off for me and ruffling his hair and basically giving me unwanted attention. He was extremely arrogant and conceited and believed that the castle was his and he could do whatever he wanted. What was worse, he had an extreme dislike for a good friend of mine and that bothered me. A few times I even caught him hexing my friend and _that _put me over the edge. But, I'll admit: He's changed in the last year. He's not as inflated or as infatuated as he was; he has matured a little and doesn't openly hex anyone . . . at least to my knowledge he doesn't. I know he probably will always hate my friend but at least he doesn't harm him anymore."

James's head was a whirl of emotions – astonishment, surprise, and hope, mostly. He kept his face a mask and asked her calmly, "If he were to ask you out again, what would you say?"

"Oh," said Lily, blushing for some reason James could not figure out, "I don't know." She gave a nervous laugh and avoided his eyes, "I'd

have to think about it."

At that moment, James believed he had never loved her as much as he did then. He had the sudden impulse to kiss her but he stopped himself. Any romantic gestures given by Lionel Lacewot would lessen James's own chances with Lily.

The pair danced for a while after, talking about anything from Transfiguration homework to the growing threat of Lord Voldemort. And when the party was over, James walked Lily back to Gryffindor Tower.

"I had a wonderful night, Lionel. Thank you." She smiled up at him.

"Goodnight, Gina," he said, kissing her hand. He turned around and walked away down the corridor.

Lily watched him go and felt her heart swell inside her. She looked down at her hand and thought to herself, 'I can't wait to tell Alice!' She climbed dreamily through the portrait hole and up to her dormitory.

_Thanks for the positive reviews! I will love you forever! Shout out to __Piperinjay Alexandria._


	4. Chapter 4

"Why on earth did you change your name?!" demanded Alice, who sat astonished on her bed as Lily relayed her night to her, Marlene, and Dorcas Meadowes.

"I don't know," groaned Lily. "I never should have lied to him. I'll tell him my real name tomorrow. I hope he'll forgive me." Lily fell miserably onto her bed. "And if he doesn't, I don't blame him in the slightest."

"But really, Lily," asked Dorcas, "why _did_ you give him a false name?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's because . . . maybe I – " Lily stuttered.

Marlene interrupted. "Maybe it's because, in the past, you've been avoiding all thoughts of a romantic relationship and all the guys who've tried to give you one. When Lionel first came up to you, a guy you've never met before, a guy who knows nothing about your past, romantic or not, your first instinct was to hide behind a false identity so after what you hoped would be a short meeting, he'd never be able to renew your conversation another time. This leads me to believe that either you genuinely don't fancy a guy or you already have a guy in mind."

Lily was shocked, not only at the audacity of her friend but at how easily she was read and figured out. "You – you're r-right . . . " she stammered, looking at Marlene as if she'd sprouted two heads or something. "I hadn't even realized it myself."

"If that's the case," Marlene continued firmly, "you'd better go to Lionel tomorrow and tell him your real name and you'd better drop the attitude as soon as you can."

"I promise you," Lily vowed, "Lionel will know the truth by tomorrow."

"So," said Alice, "what is he like?"

"He is tall," Lily began, " he has really dark hair that is a few inches above shoulder length. He is pretty well built and has large hands and feet. He was a horribly clumsy dancer, by the way. His eyes are hazel and he has the most mischevious smile I've ever seen. Overall, he is quite handsome. He's also really smart and from what he told me, I found out that he is a very talented wizard."

"Well no wonder," scoffed Dorcas, "he _is _in Ravenclaw after all."

"But the one thing that bothered me was that he was pretty curious about my virtually nonexistent 'love life.' One of the first questions he asked me was _'If James Potter were to ask you out, what would you say?'_ Obviously, I was quite startled."

"What did you say?" asked Alice with more interest than was necessary.

"I told him I'd have to think about it," Lily said uncomfortably.

Marlene and Dorcas were too focused on Lily to notice Alice's unusual expression.

"Weirdo!" Dorcas spat. "Why was he asking about James Potter, a guy who used to fancy you, when he was dancing with you?"

"James wasn't at the party, was he?" asked Marlene.

"He wasn't," said Alice tersely, "Frank told me."

Marlene laughed suddenly. "That would be funny if Lionel was James in disguise." Lily and Dorcas both laughed at her theory but Alice's eyes only widened in alarm.

"James is nothing like Lionel," Lily assured them with a laugh.

"And I never asked – how was your time with Frank?" asked Marlene as she turned to Alice.

"Oh!" she cried, visibly brightening, "It was amazing . . ."

Lily tried to listen, but her mind strayed back to her mysterious dance partner._ If I could only tell him my true name _she thought _we'd be off to a great start. _Lily soon fell asleep while the dark haired boy plagued her in her dreams.

The next morning, before class, Lily got up early and waited in the Great Hall to see if she could find Lionel. She checked up and down the Ravenclaw table at least 5 times but with no sign of him. She even asked a Ravenclaw friend of hers Cora Knightley if she'd ever heard of Lionel Lacewot. The girl said she knew everyone in her house but there was no Lionel.

She asked Professor McGonagall if she knew Lionel but the lady said basically what Cora had said. Lily was confused. What was going on? Maybe Marlene was right: maybe Lionel was only James Potter in disguise. Lily sighed inwardly at the thought. _If only . . ._ she allowed herself to think.

Mary MacDonald, a fellow muggle-born Gryffindor, who was in 5th year, tried to cheer her up and while Lily was grateful, she knew her search was in vain. Either Lionel didn't go to Hogwarts and had been lying to her or he was, as Marlene had jovially guessed, someone else in disguise.

Lily sighed to herself over her dinner that night. _My only attempt at a romantic relationship for years and it turns out that he's only a scheming liar after all._


	5. Chapter 5

James and Sirius are like brothers in so many ways. They follow the same mind-set and often can tell what the other is thinking. So when one day, James fervently tried to convince Remus, Peter, and Sirius that he had gotten over Lily, only Sirius wasn't fooled. He could tell the subject was painful for James to talk about because he still loved her just as much as he ever had. And because he still loved her, and because he knew she didn't love him the same way, he kept quiet about his infatuation and eventually began to pretend it wasn't even there.

Sirius hated to see his best friend like this – hiding behind away from a love he deserved because she didn't feel exactly the same way. Sirius had been watching how Lily acted around James ever since James had denied his affections for her. Sirius was very smart and from her furtive glances and secret smiles he figured that she felt the same way but tried to refuse to show it.

At Slughorn's party, Sirius had told his plan to Frank, Alice, and Marlene. They excitedly promised to help him so Sirius told them their duties. Peter and Remus also eagerly agreed to help when Sirius laid out the plan for them the next day.

_**Sorry this chapter is so short. I just wanted to clarify exactly what Sirius had been up to at Slughorn's party.**_

_**I am also sorry about my wonky formatting in the earlier chapters. This is my first fanfiction and I am naturally electronically incapable so I only just got the hang of how it all works. **_

_**I cannot figure out how to edit my past chapters so I cannot go and fix them. I have been meaning to put a disclaimer in each of them but as I said, I don't know how to do it. (Don't try to tell me. I will only get more confused.)**_

_**I do not own Harry Potter. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.**_


	6. Chapter 6

James Potter sat alone in an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express. He remembered sadly that almost exactly a year before, he sat and watched as his father peacefully drifted off to sleep for the last time. James and his mother had been expecting such a thing, but still, the death of one's father, even if expected, came at a great shock. Benedict Potter had caught a very bad case of dragon pox that winter and had never fully recovered. His strength began to dwindle but his spirit never lessened. At his request, James finished out his 5th year and came home right after. On his deathbed, Benedict told his son to be strong for his sake and his mother's and not to mourn him but to rejoice because he was going to a better place.

The death of his father was part of why James toned down his arrogance and became a more mature person. He realized then that life was short and there was no way that he was going to spend his being someone so unlikeable that even Lily Evans (who could befriend anyone) couldn't stand him.

The first act of James's new leaf was personally arranging his father's funeral, doing everything from writing out invitations to choosing the flowers for the casket himself. This new James never left, and now, as he sat alone in his compartment, he felt proud of the person he had become.

_Lily has no reason to despise me now, _he thought with a little of his former conceit, _She admitted this herself to, _here he pulled a face, '_Lionel Lacewot' at old Slugy's party. Yet, _he continued, the conceit dropping away, _It's unlike Lily to say such nice things about me. She was probably only saying that because she didn't want Lionel to think she avoided all guys. Everyone knows she does. That probably also explains why she changed her name: so people who knew her by name, not sight, wouldn't know that she rejected all forms of romance._

"It doesn't matter," he said firmly aloud. "I don't love her anyways. I'll never love anyone." He said this more to convince himself than to speak the truth.

_Just look at Frank, _he thought, _I always thought he was a soft-spoken, level-headed guy. He talked about little other than what we'd learned in Charms or Transfiguration that day. Now, he babbles on about complete nonsense like, _Her eyes sparkle _or _Her smile would light up the dark side of the moon. _Someone has put him under a spell that might as well have turned him into a blast-ended screwt. I will never let any girl make a blast-ended screwt out of me._

_One girl is pretty; one girl is smart; another is wise; yet another still is witty. I don't care. Unless all of these qualities are in one, I'll have none._

_She'll have to be pretty or I won't look at her. She'll be smart or I won't talk to her; wise or I won't trust her. Her hair will most definitely be ging- whatever color she's born with. But above all, she'll have to be a Gryffindor. Ravenclaws are too pompous and are too smart for their own good. Hufflepuffs are too soft and weak willed. And I would never even consider a Slytherin._

James realized suddenly how much time he had been sitting there. Sirius, Remus, and Peter had promised to find him on the train when they had finished packing. The train had been moving for a while and still they hadn't found him. What was taking so long?

As if on cue, a familiar voice came ringing through the corridor, "So, Moony," asked Sirius loudly as they passed by James's open door, "what exactly did you hear Lily say about Prongs?"


	7. Chapter 7

James's attention perked immediately. He stood to follow them down the corridor when he remembered something. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and put it on. Silently and invisibly making his way down the train, he heard Sirius's unusually loud voice carrying from inside a compartment ahead. James stood by the door and pressed his ear against the glass and listened.

"Is it true," asked Sirius, "Lily actually really likes Prongs?"

"Yes," said Remus, "at least from what I heard, it is."

"But she's outwardly hated him for years!" Frank protested. "Are you sure she's not faking it?"

"Lily would never fake such a think as liking James," Remus told them sensibly. "She is a very kind person and she knows James had liked her before. Even though she doesn't seem to like him very much, she would never toy with him and claim to like him unless she genuinely did."

At this, James's heart began to race with excitement and he looked inside the compartment in disbelief. He saw Sirius, Remus, and Frank all looking expectantly at Peter.

Peter's face was aflame and he was stuttering, "Oh. My turn . . . right. So - er, I guess . . . well. Oh! I thought – "he was looking intently at Sirius who seemed to be mouthing something to him. " – she was . . . a mule . . . a moon – Oh right! I thought she was _immune_ to all kinds of affection, " he finished haltingly.

James frowned in confusion. This was not the sort of thing Peter was likely to say . . . He shrugged mentally and dismissed the thought.

"Has she told anyone?" Frank asked Remus.

"No," he replied, "and she most certainly never will. How can she? No one will believe her. For years, she has scorned him and publicly ridiculed him. She can't just suddenly say that she now really likes him, can she?"

"But she hasn't done that sort of thing since like 4th year!" Sirius protested.

"I know," Remus answered. "That's what makes things interesting because we don't know that maybe in the last year her feelings for him have changed."

"Are you sure she hasn't told him?" Frank asked.

"Of course!" Sirius exclaimed. "If she had, Prongs wouldn't have taken her seriously and would have made fun of her to no end. Surely, he would've told us if she had."

"It could be good if he knew about it by someone other than her, though," remarked Remus.

"As I said," Sirius reminded them, "he wouldn't take her seriously and would torment her unreasonably for it."

"She's really pretty and very kind and extremely smart except in liking James," Remus said.

"I actually feel sorry for her," admitted Frank.

"Maybe we should tell Prongs ourselves," Peter suggested.

"NO!" all three boys chorused at once.

"We must never tell him," said Sirius firmly. "If he finds out, poor Lily will pay dearly for it."

"We should let her wear it out first," Frank said. "She'll sooner get over him than actually have the chance to see him liking her."

"I don't think she could have found a more unworthy person to like in all of Hogwarts," Remus said pityingly.

"Where is James anyway?" asked Frank.

"I dunno," said Sirius, "he said he'd find us when we got on the train. I don't know what's taking so long."

James, at the moment, was practically skipping back to his compartment, his mind swirling with this new information and a dazedly happy grin on his face.

_**I own none of this. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.**_

_**Thank you so much for the positive reviews! **_


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